1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to security devices attached to portable devices, especially portable electronic devices such as personal computers and associated hardware.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computers and associated peripheral equipment such as scanners, printers, document readers, etc., are sufficiently portable so that a person can carry them. Because these portable items are also valuable, as well as portable, they may be easily stolen. A number of security devices have thus been created to inhibit theft of not only the computers, but variety of portable devices which are valuable yet may be carried off by a single person. One common way of inhibiting this theft is to physically connect the portable device to a non-portable object which is too difficult for one or two persons to easily remove, thus frustrating the theft by making it too difficult to remove the connected portable and non-portable objects, or by making it too difficult to sever the physical connection between the portable device and the non-portable object.
Some of these security devices include flat, metal plates that have an adhesive on one side to adhere the plate to the side of a computer so that the plate cannot be removed without breaking the housing of the computer or other device. A threaded recess in the plate is used to attach a locking device, such as a cable, that is in turn connected to a large, non-portable structure. To remove the device requires severing the cable, or moving the large structure to which the locking device is connected, or breaking the locking device off the portable device. Each of these impedes theft.
While these security devices work well when properly installed, the rigid plates limit their use. The rigid plates make it difficult to attach the plates to a non-flat surface. An improper attachment of these rigid plates to a non-flat surface makes it easier to remove the plate so that the security device can be uncoupled from the portable device and the device stolen. There is thus a need for a security device suitable for use with not only devices having flat surfaces, but for use with devices where there is no flat surface located.